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<\/a><\/p>\nStories of Honor is a Fort Worth Report weekly series spotlighting 12 Tarrant County veterans<\/a> who are serving beyond the uniform.<\/p>\n We also are highlighting nonprofits<\/a> recommended by the veterans.<\/p>\n In November, the veterans will gather for a luncheon where the Report will honor their service at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington.<\/p>\n Wilson didn\u2019t always think about mental health in the way he does now. It wasn\u2019t until after his service that he began reflecting on trauma, his own struggles and those of his fellow Marines. He realized that if he needed help, others were in the same boat and lacked support.<\/p>\n DRC weaves that responsibility into its work.\u00a0<\/p>\n Founded in 1999 as the Day Resource Center for the Homeless, the nonprofit initially provided essential services like showers, mail, computer access and phone calls to loved ones. In 2016, it transitioned into DRC Solutions, shifting focus to long-term housing, outreach and support services.\u00a0<\/p>\n Today, DRC\u2019s mission is clear: end homelessness by meeting people where they are, both physically and emotionally. Outreach teams walk under bridges, visit encampments and step into parks to connect with people who might never enter a shelter.\u00a0<\/p>\n DRC provides help by replacing IDs, conducting housing assessments and even reunites families. Veterans, families and youth are prioritized, but no one is turned away.<\/p>\n \u201cThose people deserve housing just as much as everybody else,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cJust because someone doesn\u2019t stay in a shelter doesn\u2019t mean they\u2019re not worthy of housing.\u201d<\/p>\n Affordable housing remains the biggest challenge, Wilson said. Most of the people DRC assists have been homeless for years.\u00a0<\/p>\n Nationally, men account for 60% of the nation\u2019s homeless population and are more likely to be unsheltered, according to the American Institute for Boys and Men.\u00a0<\/p>\n Over the past decade, the number of Americans experiencing homelessness has increased by 37%, with homeless men accounting for half of that increase.<\/p>\n For DRC, the solution isn\u2019t quick fixes but building stability over time. Case managers continue working with clients even after housing is secured. They help with groceries, doctor visits, school enrollment or simply offering presence when someone feels invisible.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cImagine experiencing homelessness and people won\u2019t even look you in the eye or wave,\u201d Wilson said. \u201cIt\u2019s got to feel so disheartening.\u201d<\/p>\n The stakes can be deadly. In Texas, roughly 1,500 people in Texas die annually from extreme heat, and advocates estimate that about half are people experiencing homelessness, according to the Texas Homeless Network.<\/p>\n Critical documents specialist Denise Yeager sees the impact directly. She helps roughly 15 to 30 clients a day replace birth certificates, driver\u2019s licenses or IDs \u2014 documents often lost or damaged, especially when traveling from other states.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt warms my heart knowing that I\u2019m doing something to make a difference in their life and to give them hope,\u201d Yeager said.\u00a0<\/p>\n She recalled one client who began crying after receiving her new ID.<\/p>\n \u201cShe said, \u2018I feel like a person now.\u2019 I started crying and said, \u2018You\u2019ve always been a person,\u2019\u201d Yeager said. \u201cA lot of people feel like they\u2019re not real without an ID.\u201d<\/p>\n In 2024, DRC supported 1,856 individuals for housing, including 125 chronically homeless households. DRC\u2019s critical documents specialists aided 2,632 people in replacing 4,140 identity documents.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re one of the largest producers of critical documents in Tarrant County, board chair Bob McCarthy Sr. said. \u201cIt\u2019s a big part of what we do.\u201d<\/p>\n Breaking the cycle is critical, Wilson said. Homelessness isn\u2019t a one-size-fits-all problem. Some clients require short-term utility assistance, while others have been outside for years.<\/p>\n About 25% of DRC clients enter the workforce with support from benefit specialists, Yeager said.\u00a0<\/p>\n Housing navigation secured stable housing for 373 households, and the Arlington mobile system navigator aided 161 households.\u00a0<\/p>\n DRC\u2019s housing programs supported 158 formerly chronically homeless households, added 96 new households to its permanent supportive housing, and sustained support for 256 households.<\/p>\n For Wilson, the mission is both personal and professional.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI wanted to help people who were hurting, not to hurt,\u201d Wilson said.<\/p>\n Orlando Torres is a reporting fellow for the Fort Worth Report.<\/p>\n At the Fort Worth Report, news decisions are made independently of our board members and financial supporters. Read more about our editorial independence policy here<\/a>.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Goss-DRCOutreach-04.jpg\")
Homeless people walking as a DRC Solutions van pulls up Aug. 20, 2025, in Fort Worth. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/Goss-DRCOutreach-07.jpg\")
DRC mobile assessors Will McNichols, middle, and Elizabeth Peznell, right, register a homeless person Aug. 21, 2025, in Fort Worth. (Mary Abby Goss | Fort Worth Report)<\/p>\n
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